Zenit returns UEFA Cup ahead of Istanbul final

"It is something we would hope to experience again..."

After etching their name into UEFA cup history books by winning the trophy last year, Zenit have also become a part of the tournament`s closing chapter, as it prepares for a makeover, Russia Today reported.

The Saint Petersburg club came to Istanbul to return the cup to UEFA officials one last time as the competition braces for the final on May 20.

Zenit`s midfielder Anatoly Tymoschuk, who is set to leave the club for Bayern Munich in summer, handed the Cup over to UEFA chief Michel Platini.

"Last year, we knocked out strong teams like Olympique Marseille, Bayern München, and Villarreal. It was not an easy thing to do. It is hard to find a word to describe winning this trophy, and it is something we would hope to experience again in the future," Anatoly Tymoschuk said to UEFA.com.

Tymoshchuk was accompanied by fellow Zenit delegates Maxim Mitrofanov, the chief executive, and Vladislav Radimov, the team manager.